Cool Your Anger


(Compiled from notes on lectures of H. H. Mahavishnu Goswami)



Hare Krishna Prabhujis and Mathajis,

Please accept my humble obeisances! All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva!

Our dear Maharaj, HDG Srila Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj, used to say that
anger is just one letter short of danger. So anger is a just one step before danger.Therefore one should control his anger. In the 4th canto 11th chapter Syambhuva Manu instructs Dhruva Maharaj to stop fighting with the Yakshas. His instructions to Dhurva were:

1. Face the Supreme Personality of Godhead in our original position (eternal part and parcel of Krishna), and thus, by self-realization, we will find this material differentiation to be merely flickering.




2. By serving the Supreme Lord, we will very soon forget the illusory understanding of "I" and "my".




Then in Srimad Bhagavatam verse 4.11.31, Syambhuva Manu says




samyaccha rosham bhadram te /prateepam shreyasaam param
shrutena bhuyasaa raajann / agadhena yathaa mayam

"My dear King, just consider what I have said to you, which will act as medicinal treatment upon disease. Control your anger, for anger is the foremost enemy on the path of spiritual realization. I wish all good fortune for you. Please follow my instructions."




In the next verse he gives the final instruction:




"A person who desires liberation from this material world should not fall under the control of anger because when bewildered by anger one becomes a source of dread for all others."




In this way he convinces Dhruva Maharaj. This reminds me of the following story:




Once when Alexander was passing by Vrindavan and during his travel, he came across an ashram of a sage. He decided to stop and meet him. So he told one of his men to inform the sage about his arrival. When the sage was informed he asked the King to come in if he wanted to talk to him. Hearing this Alexander asked his men to tell the sage about his prestigious false position and fame. So the men went in and described the so called glories of Alexander, yet the sage insisted and was fixed on his statement and said "Ask him to come in if he wants to meet me." This enraged the King and he went inside to check the guts of the sage. Seeing the King in great anger the sage addressed him as "Welcome my dear servant of my servant!" This made the King so furious that he took out his sword and was about to kill the sage. The sword was in the neck of the sage and Alexander was surprised to see him fearless and calm. So he was curious to know how could he be so cool even at this point and he asked the sage as to why he addressed him as the servant of his servant. The sage replied "I called you the servant of my servant because
I have made anger as my servant and the very same anger has made you its servant." The King immediately realized his folly and begged pardon for his behavior.




Thus we see that if we are angry then we lose control on our self and become its servant. In the 2nd chapter of the Bhagavad-Gita verse 2.63, Lord Krishna says:




krodhaad bhavati sammohah / sammohaat smriti-vibhramah

smriti-bhramshaad budhi naasho / buddhi naashaat pranashyati


From anger, complete delusion arises, and from delusion bewilderment of memory. When memory is bewildered, intelligence is lost, and when intelligence is lost one falls down again into the material pool.





So how to control our anger? Maharaj gives us some practical tips:




1. Take a cool shower





2. Put tilaka regularly and that will improve the blood circulation and help us remain calm and cool.





3. Get in touch with the Lord through scriptures.




I pray unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master to guide me to remain cool in all circumstances.




Thank you very much.




Yours in the service of Srila Prabhupada and Gurudeva,




Krishna Kinkara Dasanudas,
Abu Dhabi.




Chant,

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna

Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama

Rama Rama

Hare Hare

and be happy.